Novel fructosyl peptide oxidase

ABSTRACT

The present invention has an object of providing a novel fructosyl peptide oxidase having superior physicochemical properties such as stability that is useful as an enzyme for clinical diagnosis, and an object of providing a method for producing the fructosyl peptide oxidase. 
     A novel fructosyl peptide oxidase having physicochemical properties useful as an enzyme for clinical diagnosis, and a method for producing a novel fructosyl peptide oxidase are provided herein, the method comprising: culturing a microorganism capable of producing the oxidase in a medium; and collecting the oxidase from the culture. Furthermore, a fructosyl peptide oxidase gene coding for a novel fructosyl peptide oxidase, recombinant DNA wherein the gene is inserted into vector DNA, and a method for producing a novel fructosyl peptide oxidase are provided herein, the method comprising: culturing, in a medium, a transformant or a transductant including the gene; and collecting the novel fructosyl peptide oxidase from the culture.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a novel fructosyl peptide oxidase, to afructosyl peptide oxidase gene encoding the same, and to a method forproducing the novel fructosyl peptide oxidase.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Glycated protein is a non-enzymatically-glycated protein, which isproduced as a result of covalent bonding between an aldehyde group ofsugar, namely, aldose (i.e., a monosaccharide potentially associatedwith an aldehyde group, and derivatives thereof), and an amino group ofa protein. Examples of the amino group of the protein include anN-terminal α-amino group and an internal lysine residue side chainε-amino group. These glycated proteins are also referred to as Amadoricompounds for being formed upon Amadori rearrangement of a Schiff base,a reaction intermediate product.

The glycated proteins are contained in body fluid such as blood in bodyor in a biological sample such as hair. The concentration of theglycated protein in blood strongly depends on the concentration ofsaccharide such as glucose dissolved in serum. In diabetic conditions,production of the glycated protein is accelerated. A concentration ofglycated hemoglobin in erythrocytes and a concentration of glycatedalbumin in serum indicate an average blood sugar level for the pastpredetermined period. Therefore, quantification of the glycated proteinsis important for diagnosis and control of the disease process ofdiabetes.

Examples of known conventional methods for quantifying a glycatedprotein include, for example, a method employing high-performance liquidchromatography (Chromatogr. Sci., 10, 659 (1979)), a method using acolumn loaded with a solid material bound with boric acid (Clin. Chem.,28, 2088-2094 (1982)), a method employing electrophoresis (Clin. Chem.,26, 1598-1602 (1980)), a method using antigen-antibody reaction (JJCLA,18, 620 (1993)), a colorimetric method for determining reducibilityusing tetrazolium salt (Clin. Chim. Acta, 127, 87-95 (1982)), acolorimetric method using thiobarbituric acid following oxidation (Clin.Chim. Acta, 112, 197-204 (1981)), a method using an enzyme such asglycated amino acid oxidase (Japanese Patent Examined Publication(kokoku) No. 05-33997, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No.11-127895, WO97-13872, Japanese Patent Examined Publication (kokoku) No.6-65300, and Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open (kohyo) Nos.2-195900, 3-155780, 4-4874, 5-192193, 6-46846, 11-155596, 10-313893,11-504808, 2000-333696, 2001-54398, 2001-204495 and 2001-204494).Furthermore, a new method for quantifying a glycated protein wasdisclosed recently which is more accurate than any of theabove-mentioned methods (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo)No. 2001-95598). According to this quantification method, a samplecontaining a glycated protein is treated with protease to release afructosyl peptide from the glycated protein, which is then exposed tooxidase. The resulting product is quantified for quantification of theglycated protein. This method has been recognized as an accuratequantification method that requires short time and simple manipulation.

According to the conventional method using glycated amino acid oxidase,a glycated protein is treated with protease and then the producedglycated amino acid is quantified enzymatically. Specifically, accordingto this method, a glycated protein is treated with protease or the liketo give fructosyl amino acid, which is then exposed to fructosyl aminoacid oxidase to quantify the produced hydrogen peroxide. Examples ofknown fructosyl amino acid oxidases that can be used in suchquantification method include oxidase produced by Corynebacterium(Japanese Patent Examined Publications (kokoku) Nos. 5-33997 and6-65300), oxidase produced by Aspergillus (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open (kohyo) No. 3-155780), oxidase produced by Gibberella(Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No. 7-289253), oxidaseproduced by Fusarium (Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open (kohyo)Nos. 7-289253 and 8-154672), oxidase produced by Penicillium (JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No. 8-336386), oxidase produced byTricosporon (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No.2000-245454), and ketoamine oxidase (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open (kohyo) No. 5-192193). However, while these enzymes act wellon fructosyl amino acids, they do not act on fructosyl peptides. Oxidaseproduced by E. coli DH5α (pFP1) (FERM BP-7297) described in JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No. 2001-95598 is known as anenzyme that acts on fructosyl peptide. However, preparing aquantification kit with this enzyme is difficult since its basicphysicochemical properties are unknown and it has poor stability.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and stablefructosyl peptide oxidase, a fructosyl peptide oxidase gene encoding thesame, and a method for producing the novel fructosyl peptide oxidase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have devoted themselves to solving theabove-described problems and found that various microorganisms obtainedby searching widely in nature produce novel fructosyl peptide oxidaseswhich have superior stability. The present inventors have succeeded inacquiring these enzymes, found that these fructosyl peptide oxidaseshave various novel physicochemical properties that are advantageous forquantifying glycated proteins, and succeeded in isolating fructosylpeptide oxidase genes, thereby achieving the present invention.

Thus, the present invention relates to a fructosyl peptide oxidase whichacts on fructosyl valyl histidine in the presence of oxygen andcatalyzes a reaction that produces α-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine andhydrogen peroxide. The present invention also relates to a fructosylpeptide oxidase which catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction and whoseremaining activity following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutesis 80% or higher, and to a fructosyl peptide oxidase which catalyzes theabove-mentioned reaction and whose molecular weight is about 52,000(SDS-PAGE). Moreover, the present invention relates to a fructosylpeptide oxidase which catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction, whoseremaining activity following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutesis 80% or higher, and whose molecular weight is about 52,000 (SDS-PAGE).

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a fructosyl peptideoxidase having the following physicochemical properties.

(a) Action and substrate specificity: Acts on fructosyl valyl histidinein the presence of oxygen and catalyzes a reaction that producesα-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine and hydrogen peroxide.

(b) Optimal pH: pH 6.0-8.0.

(c) Temperature range suitable for action: 20-45° C.

(d) Thermostability: a remaining activity of 80% or higher following aheat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes.

(e) Stable pH range: pH 6.0-9.0.

(f) Molecular weight: about 52,000 (SDS-PAGE).

The present invention also relates to a method for producing thefructosyl peptide oxidase, the method comprising: culturing, in amedium, a filamentous fungus capable of producing the above-mentionedfructosyl peptide oxidase or a filamentous fungus selected from thegroup consisting of Achaetomiella, Achaetomium, Thielavia, Chaetomium,Gelasinospora, Microascus, Coniochaeta and Eupenicillium which arecapable of producing the above-mentioned fructosyl peptide oxidases; andcollecting the fructosyl peptide oxidase from the culture.

The present invention further relates to a fructosyl peptide oxidasewhich catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction and which acts on fructosylvalyl histidine but has less action on ε-fructosyl lysine, to the samefructosyl peptide oxidase whose remaining activity following a heattreatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes is 80% or higher, and to the samefructosyl peptide oxidase having the following physicochemicalproperties:

(a) optimal pH: pH 6.0-8.0;

(b) temperature range suitable for action: 20-40° C.;

(c) thermostability: a remaining activity of 80% or higher following aheat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes; and

(d) stable pH range: pH 6.0-9.0.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing thefructosyl peptide oxidase, the method comprising: culturing, in amedium, a filamentous fungus capable of producing the above-mentionedfructosyl peptide oxidase or a filamentous fungus that belongs toEupenicillium or Coniochaeta which is capable of producing theabove-mentioned fructosyl peptide oxidase; and collecting the fructosylpeptide oxidase from the culture.

The present invention further relates to any of the following proteins(a), (b) and (c) having a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity:

(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 1;

(b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having deletion,substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acids relative tothe amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) a protein having 80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity.

The present invention further relates to a gene coding for any of thefollowing proteins (a), (b) and (c) having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity:

(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 1;

(b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having deletion,substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acids relative tothe amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) a protein having 80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity.

The present invention also relates to a gene comprising any of thefollowing DNAs (a), (b) and (c):

(a) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2;

(b) DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions with DNA comprisinga nucleotide sequence complementary to a full-length or 15 or moreconsecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 2, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) DNA which has 80% or higher homology with a full-length or 15 ormore consecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 2, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

The present invention further relates to recombinant DNA obtained byinserting the above-mentioned gene into vector DNA.

The present invention further relates to a transformant or atransductant comprising the above-mentioned recombinant DNA.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a fructosylpeptide oxidase, comprising: culturing the above-mentioned transformantor transductant in a medium; and collecting the fructosyl peptideoxidase from the culture.

The present invention further relates to any of the following proteins(a), (b) and (c) having a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity:

(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 3;

(b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having deletion,substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acids relative tothe amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) a protein having 80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity.

The present invention further relates to a gene coding for any of thefollowing proteins (a), (b) and (c) having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity:

(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 3;

(b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having deletion,substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acids relative tothe amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) a protein having 80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity.

The present invention also relates to a gene comprising any of thefollowing DNAs (a), (b) and (c):

(a) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4;

(b) DNA which hybridizes under stringent conditions with DNA comprisinga nucleotide sequence complementary to a full-length or 15 or moreconsecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and

(c) DNA which has 80% or higher homology with a full-length or 15 ormore consecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

The present invention further relates to recombinant DNA obtained byinserting the above-mentioned gene into vector DNA.

The present invention further relates to a transformant or atransductant comprising the above-mentioned recombinant DNA.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a fructosylpeptide oxidase, comprising: culturing the above-mentioned transformantor transductant in a medium; and collecting the fructosyl peptideoxidase from the culture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Achaetomiella.

FIG. 2 shows the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Achaetomiella.

FIG. 3 shows the optimum temperature range for the inventive oxidaseproduced by a filamentous fungus belonging to Achaetomiella.

FIG. 4 shows the thermostability of the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Achaetomiella.

FIG. 5 shows the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Chaetomiumn.

FIG. 6 shows the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Chaetomium.

FIG. 7 shows the optimum temperature range for the inventive oxidaseproduced by a filamentous fungus belonging to Chaetomium.

FIG. 8 shows the thermostability of the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Chaetomium.

FIG. 9 shows the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Coniochaeta which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 10 shows the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase produced bya filamentous fungus belonging to Coniochaeta which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 11 shows the optimum temperature range for the inventive oxidaseproduced by a filamentous fungus belonging to Coniochaeta which has lessaction on ε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 12 shows the thermostability of the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Coniochaeta which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 13 shows the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Eupenicillium which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 14 shows the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase produced bya filamentous fungus belonging to Eupenicillium which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 15 shows the optimum temperature range for the inventive oxidaseproduced by a filamentous fungus belonging to Eupenicillium which hasless action on ε-fructosyl lysine.

FIG. 16 shows the thermostability of the inventive oxidase produced by afilamentous fungus belonging to Eupenicillium which has less action onε-fructosyl lysine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail. Thefructosyl peptide oxidases according to the present invention(hereinafter, referred to as “the oxidases of the invention”) areoxidases which act on fructosyl valyl histidine in the presence ofoxygen and catalyze the following reaction formula that results inα-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine and hydrogen peroxide. Any oxidase withthis action is considered as the oxidase of the invention.

Fructosyl valyl histidine+H₂O+O₂→α-ketoaldehyde+valyl histidine+H₂O₂

Any oxidase that catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction is contemplatedas the present invention (and referred to as “the oxidase of theinvention”), including, for example, oxidases that act on otherfructosyl amino acids such as N^(ε)-fructosyl lysine (ε-fructosyllysine) and N-fructosyl glycine (fructosyl glycine), and oxidases thatact on various fructosyl peptides. On the other hand, fructosyl peptideoxidases that act on fructosyl valyl histidine but have less action onε-fructosyl lysine (referred to as “the oxidases of the invention thathave less action on ε-fructosyl lysine”) refer to the oxidases of theinvention which catalyze the above-mentioned reaction formula and whichhave a lower activity upon use of ε-fructosyl lysine substrate ascompared to the activity upon use of fructosyl valyl histidinesubstrate, and may be any oxidase which can accurately quantifyfructosyl valyl histidine in a sample containing ε-fructosyl lysine. Theoxidases of the invention which do not act on ε-fructosyl lysine arealso contemplated as the present invention. The oxidases of theinvention that have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine are particularlypreferable for quantifying fructosyl valyl histidine in a biologicalsample containing ε-fructosyl lysine.

In addition, some embodiments of the oxidases of the invention maycomprise: a fructosyl peptide oxidase with a molecular weight of about52,000 (SDS-PAGE) which catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction; afructosyl peptide oxidase which catalyzes the above-mentioned reactionand whose remaining activity following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10minutes is 80% or higher; and a fructosyl peptide oxidase with amolecular weight of about 52,000 (SDS-PAGE) which catalyzes theabove-mentioned reaction and whose remaining activity following a heattreatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes is 80% or higher. Furthermore, theoxidase of the invention may also comprise a fructosyl peptide oxidasewhich catalyzes the above-mentioned reaction and at the same time hasany or a combination of the following physicochemical properties (a) to(e).

(a) Optimal pH: pH 6.0-8.0

For example, 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mM potassium phosphatebuffer (pH 6.5-8.0) and 200 mM glycine buffer (pH 8.0-12.0) are used asbuffers to perform enzyme reactions at the indicated pH at 30° C.,thereby determining optimal pH. For example, the oxidases of theinvention may have an optimal pH at 5.0-9.0, preferably pH 6.0-8.0.

(b) Temperature range suitable for action: 20-45° C.

For example, a reaction solution having the same composition as that ofa reaction solution used for the activity assay described later is usedto determine activities of the enzyme at various temperatures, therebydetermining a suitable temperature range for action. The oxidases of theinvention may, for example, have a suitable temperature range of 20-50°C., preferably 25-45° C.

(c) Thermostability: a remaining activity of 80% or higher following aheat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes.

For example, 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) is used for atreatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes to determine the remaining activitiesof the oxidases of the invention. The oxidases of the invention havinghigh stability at a high temperature range are particularly preferablefor industrial use. The oxidases of the invention may, for example, havea remaining activity of 50% or higher, preferably 70% or higher, andmore preferably 80% or higher under the above-described conditions.

(d) Stable pH range: pH 6.0-9.0

For example, 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mM potassium phosphatebuffer (pH 6.5-8.0) and 200 mM glycine buffer (pH 8.0-12.0) are used asbuffers to perform enzyme reactions at the indicated pH at 30° C. for 10minutes, thereby determining the remaining activities of the oxidases ofthe invention. For example, the oxidases of the invention may have astable pH at 5.0-10.0, preferably at 6.0-9.0.

(e) Molecular weight: about 52,000 (SDS-PAGE)

For example, the molecular weight is determined by SDS-PAGE techniqueusing Multigel 10/20 (Daiichi Pure Chemicals Co., Ltd.). The oxidases ofthe invention may have a molecular weight of 45,000-60,000, preferably47,000-57,000 (SDS-PAGE). Presently, SDS-PAGE technique is a generaltechnique frequently used for determining the molecular weight of aprotein. Considering the possible error of the molecular weightdetermined by this determination method, the molecular weight of about52,000 (SDS-PAGE) is considered to cover molecular weights within arange of 47,000 to 57,000.

On the other hand, the oxidases of the invention that have less actionon ε-fructosyl lysine refer to the oxidases of the invention which havea lower activity upon use of ε-fructosyl lysine substrate as compared tothe activity upon use of fructosyl valyl histidine substrate, and may beany oxidase which can accurately quantify fructosyl valyl histidine in asample containing ε-fructosyl lysine. Specifically, if an activity ofthe oxidases of the invention that have less action on ε-fructosyllysine is defined as 100 upon use of fructosyl valyl histidinesubstrate, an activity upon use of ε-fructosyl lysine substrate is 70 orless, preferably 50 or less, more preferably 20 or less.

Embodiments of the oxidases of the invention that have less action onε-fructosyl lysine may comprise: a fructosyl peptide oxidase whichcatalyzes the above-mentioned reaction and which acts on fructosyl valylhistidine but acts less on ε-fructosyl lysine, and whose remainingactivity following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes is 80% orhigher; and a fructosyl peptide oxidase which has the above action andproperties as well as any or a combination of the followingphysicochemical properties (a) to (d).

(a) Optimal pH: pH 6.0-8.0

For example, 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mM potassium phosphatebuffer (pH 6.5-8.0) and 200 mM glycine buffer (pH 8.0-12.0) are used asbuffers to perform enzyme reactions at the indicated pH at 30° C.,thereby determining optimal pH. For example, the oxidases of theinvention that have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine may have anoptical pH at 5.0-9.0, preferably at 6.0-8.0.

(b) Temperature range suitable for action: 20-40° C.

For example, a reaction solution having the same composition as that ofa reaction solution for the activity assay described later is used todetermine activities of the enzyme at various temperatures, therebydetermining a suitable temperature range. The oxidases of the inventionthat have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine may, for example, have asuitable temperature range of 20-50° C., preferably 25-40° C.

(c) Thermostability: a remaining activity of 80% or higher following aheat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes

For example, 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) is used for atreatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes. Then, the remaining activities ofthe enzymes of the invention are determined. The oxidases of theinvention having high stability at a high temperature range areparticularly preferable for industrial use. The oxidases of theinvention that have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine may, for example,have a remaining activity of 50% or higher, preferably 70% or higher,more preferably 80% or higher under the above-described conditions.

(d) Stable pH range: pH 6.0-9.0

For example, 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mM potassium phosphatebuffer (pH 6.5-8.0) and 200 mM glycine buffer (pH 8.0-12.0) are used asbuffers to perform enzyme reactions at the indicated pH at 30° C. for 10minutes, thereby determining the remaining activities of the oxidases ofthe invention. For example, the oxidases of the invention that have lessaction on ε-fructosyl lysine may have a stable pH range at 5.0-10.0,preferably at 6.0-9.0.

Enzyme activities of the oxidase of the invention and the oxidase of theinvention that have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine (hereinafter, theterm “the oxidases of the invention” may comprise both the oxidase ofthe invention and the oxidase of the invention that have less action onε-fructosyl lysine) may principally be determined by determining theamount of α-ketoaldehyde, peptide, hydrogen peroxide or the like whichare produced through enzyme reaction or by determining the amount ofoxygen consumed by the enzyme reaction. Hereinafter, a method fordetermining the amount of hydrogen peroxide will be described as oneexample. Unless otherwise noted, fructosyl valyl histidine is used as asubstrate for determining the activities of the oxidases of theinvention. Titer of the enzyme is defined such that an amount of enzymefor producing 1 μmol hydrogen peroxide per minute is 1 U as determinedusing a fructosyl valyl histidine substrate.

A. Preparation of Reagents

(1) Reagent 1: POD-4-AA solution

1.0 kU of peroxidase (Toyobo Co., Ltd, TYPE III) and 100 mg of4-aminoantipyrine (Tokyo Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.) are dissolved in 0.1 Mpotassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) to a constant volume of 1 L.

(2) Reagent 2: 2,4-dichlorophenol sulfate solution

25 ml of a commercially available 2% solution (available from NacalaiTesque, Inc.) is dissolved in ion exchange water to a constant volume of100 ml.

(3) Reagent 3: substrate solution (150 mM; final concentration 5 mM)

624 mg of fructosyl valyl histidine is dissolved in ion exchange waterto a constant volume of 10 ml. Alternatively, fructosyl glycine orε-fructosyl lysine of 357 mg or 462 mg, respectively, may be dissolvedin ion exchange water to a constant volume of 10 ml to be used as asubstrate. Fructosyl valine histidine was prepared as described inJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No. 2001-95598. Fructosylglycine and ε-fructosyl lysine were prepared according to a method ofHoriuchi et al. (Agric. Biol. Chem., 53, 103-110, 1989; Agric. Biol.Chem., 55, 333-338, 1991).

B. Determination Assay

2.7 ml of Reagent 1, 100 μl of Reagent 2 and 100 μl of enzyme solutionare mixed and pre-heated at 30° C. for 5 minutes. Then, 100 μl ofReagent 3 is added and thoroughly mixed to determine absorbance at 510nm using a spectrophotometer (U-2000A, Hitachi, Ltd.). Measurementvalues indicate changes in the absorbance per minute at 510 nm after 1to 3 minutes. A control solution was prepared in the same manner asdescribed above except 100 μl ion exchange water was added instead of100 μl Reagent 3. A standard solution of hydrogen peroxide and ionexchange water were used instead of Reagent 3 and the enzyme solution,respectively, to prepare a graph showing relationship with respect tothe level of color. Referring to this graph, micromole of hydrogenperoxide produced per minute at 30° C. is calculated and used as theunit for expressing the activity of the enzyme solution. The presence ofaction on ε-fructosyl lysine can be determined in the same manner byusing Reagent 3 (substrate solution) containing ε-fructosyl lysinesubstrate instead of fructosyl valyl histidine substrate.

Thus, the oxidases of the invention comprise oxidase that acts onfructosyl valyl histidine in the presence of oxygen and catalyzesreaction represented by the above-described formula which results inα-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine and hydrogen peroxide. Such oxidases ofthe invention may, for example, have the above-described behavior andany or a combination of the above-described physicochemical properties.Such oxidases of the invention act efficiently upon free fructosyl valylhistidine resulting from protease treatment of a sample containing aglycated protein such as glycated hemoglobin, and thus can be used as aneffective enzyme for quantifying the glycated protein. The oxidases ofthe invention having high thermostability are particularly preferablefor use as a clinical diagnostic enzyme.

When a sample containing a glycated protein is treated with protease,ε-fructosyl lysine may also be released together with fructosyl valylhistidine depending on the sample used. In this case, when the amount offructosyl valyl histidine is determined with the oxidase of theinvention which acts well on ε-fructosyl lysine, accurate determinationmay be difficult. In such case, the oxidase of the invention that hasless action on ε-fructosyl lysine is more preferable.

The oxidases of the invention can be acquired from nature by conductingsearches of enzymes derived from microorganisms, animals and plants. Forexample, in order to search for microorganisms capable of producing theoxidases of the invention, microorganisms are cultured in media suppliedwith an enzyme-producing inducer such as fructosyl valyl histidine. Theobtained microorganism cells are disrupted to test for fructosyl peptideoxidase activities using fructosyl valyl histidine as a substrate. Thus,microorganisms capable of producing the oxidases of the invention can beobtained. The microorganisms used here may be newly isolated from soil,or obtained from a microorganism collection organization or the like.Furthermore, in order to obtain the oxidases of the invention withsuperior storage stability, solutions containing the disruptedmicroorganism cells obtained as described above may be subjected to aheat treatment, for example, at 45° C. for 10 minutes, after whichactivities are determined and those with higher remaining activities areselected. As organisms capable of producing the oxidases of theinvention, in terms of easy handling, productivity and the like, forexample, microorganisms are preferable, particularly filamentous fungithat belong to genus such as Achaetomiella, Achaetomium, Thielavia,Chaetomium, Gelasinospora, Microascus, Coniochaeta and Eupenicillium.Preferable microorganisms may be filamentous fungi belonging toAchaetomiella, Chaetomium, Coniochaeta and Eupenicillium, particularlymicroorganisms such as Achaetomiella virescens ATCC 32393, Chaetomiumsp. NISL 9335 (FERM BP-7799), Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798)and Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547.

In order to search for microorganisms capable of producing the oxidasesof the invention that act on fructosyl valyl histidine but have lessaction on ε-fructosyl lysine, microorganisms capable of producing theoxidases of the invention which have lower activity upon use ofε-fructosyl lysine substrate as compared to the activity upon use offructosyl valyl histidine substrate are selected from the microorganismscapable of producing the oxidases of the invention obtained by theabove-described search. As microorganisms capable of producing theoxidases of the invention that have less action on ε-fructosyl lysine,filamentous fungi are preferable, such as those that belong toEupenicillium and Coniochaeta. Preferable filamentous fungi are, forexample, Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547, Eupenicillium senticosum IFO9158, Eupenicillium idahoense IFO 9510, Eupenicillium euglaucum IFO31729 and Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798).

The oxidases of the invention are obtained not only by modifying nativeoxidases of the invention by techniques such as gene engineering ormutation process but also by modifying conventionally known enzyme genessuch as fructosyl amino acid oxidase genes.

Examples of such modification techniques include, for example,irradiating organisms capable of producing the above-described oxidaseswith UV ray, X-ray, radiation or the like, or bringing organisms capableof producing the above-described oxidases into contact with a mutagensuch as ethylmethanesulfonate, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine ornitrous acid, thereby obtaining a microorganism that produces modifiedoxidase of the invention. Then, from the obtained microorganism, theoxidase of the invention can be obtained. In general, gene engineeringcan be employed to modify genes encoding oxidases with differentproperties so as to obtain the oxidases of the invention.

Hereinafter, a method for producing the oxidases of the invention willbe described. According to the present invention, the oxidases of theinvention are collected and produced from organisms having activities ofthe oxidases of the invention, according to a variety of generallyemployed methods for isolating proteins. For example, a preferablemethod for producing the present oxidase comprises culturing amicroorganism capable of producing the above-described oxidase of theinvention in a medium, and collecting from the culture a protein havinga fructosyl peptide oxidase activity or a protein having a fructosylpeptide oxidase activity but having less action on ε-fructosyl lysine.Specifically, as an example, the following method may be employed whichuses a microorganism capable of producing the oxidase of the invention.

First, searched microorganisms that are found to produce the oxidases ofthe invention (collectively referred to as “the microorganisms”) arecultured. The microorganisms may be cultured by a solid culture methodbut more preferably by a liquid culture method. As the media forculturing the above-mentioned microorganisms, one or more types ofinorganic salts such as potassium dihydrogenphosphate, dipotassiumhydrogenphosphate, magnesium sulfate, ferric chloride, ferric sulfateand manganese sulfate, and, if necessary, sugars, vitamins or the like,are added to one or more types of nitrogen sources such as infusions ofyeast extract, peptone, meat extract, corn steep liquor, soybean orwheat malt. As an enzyme inducible substrate, an enzyme substrate suchas fructosyl glycine, fructosyl valyl histidine, ε-fructosyl lysine orthe like may appropriately be added to increase the yield.

Initial pH of the medium may suitably be adjusted to 7 to 9. Preferably,culture is performed at 25-42° C., preferably at about 30° C., for 1 to5 days by submerged aeration culture, shake culture, standing culture orthe like. Following culture, the oxidases of the invention may becollected from the cultures with generally employed enzyme collectingmeans.

Specifically, cells are separated from the culture solutions, forexample, by filtration, centrifugation or the like and then washed. Theoxidases of the invention are preferably collected from these cells.These cells can be used directly. However, it is more preferable todisrupt the cells with disrupting means such as an ultrasonichomogenizer, a French Press, a Dynomill and the like, disrupt the cellsby lysing cell walls of the cells with a cell wall lytic enzyme such aslysozyme, or extract the enzymes from the cells by using a surfactantsuch as Triton X-100 so as to collect the oxdases of the invention fromthese cells.

A general enzyme purification method may be employed to purify andisolate the oxidases of the invention from the obtained crude enzymesolutions. Preferably, a combination of, for example, ammonium sulfatesalting out method, organic solvent precipitation, ion exchangechromatography, gel filtration chromatography, hydrophobicchromatography, absorption chromatography, electrophoresis and the likemay be performed. Thus, the oxidases of the invention may be isolateduntil a generally single band appears on SDS-PAGE. The above-mentionedpurification methods can suitably be combined to prepare enzymepreparations with different degrees of purification according to use.The oxidases of the invention that have less action on ε-fructosyllysine may also be produced according to a method similar to theabove-described method for producing the oxidases of the invention.

The produced oxidases of the invention may effectively be used forquantifying a glycated protein as described below. First, a glycatedprotein such as HbA_(1c) is digested by protease such as Molsin,AO-protease, peptidase (available from Kikkoman Corp.), carboxypeptidaseY or Protin P (available from Daiwa Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.) to releasefructosyl peptide. Then, the released fructosyl valyl histidine isquantified with the oxidase of the invention. When ε-fructosyl lysinewhich is also released at the same time causes a problem, an enzyme thatacts on ε-fructosyl lysine, for example, fructosyl amino acid oxidasederived from fungus (Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open (kohyo) Nos.7-289253, 8-154672, 8-336386, etc.) or fructosyl amine oxidase (JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No. 03-155780) may be used todigest the ε-fructosyl lysine. Subsequently, fructosyl valyl histidinecan be quantified with the oxidase of the invention. Alternatively, anoxidase of the invention that has less action on ε-fructosyl lysine maybe used so that fructosyl valyl histidine can accurately be quantifiedwithout digesting the released ε-fructosyl lysine.

The oxidases of the invention may comprise the following oxidase (a),(b), (c), (d), (e) or (f):

(a) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 1;

(b) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequence havingdeletion, substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acidsrelative to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1;

(c) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequence having80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQID NO: 1;

(d) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 3;

(e) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequence havingdeletion, substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acidsrelative to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3; and

(f) a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising an amino acid sequence having80% or higher homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQID NO: 3.

Herein, “deletion, substitution and/or addition of one to several aminoacids” means deletion, substitution and/or addition of, for example, 1to 20, preferably 1 to 10, and more preferably 1 to 5 amino acids.

Herein, “having 80% or higher homology” has no limitation as long ashomology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3is 80% or higher, for example, 80% or higher, preferably 90% or higher,and most preferably 95% or higher.

The above-described oxidases of the invention may be obtained by cloningand expressing a native fructosyl peptide oxidase gene derived fromchromosomal DNA or cDNA of Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798) or anative fructosyl peptide oxidase gene derived from Eupenicilliumterrenum ATCC 18547 in a suitable vector host system. The oxidases ofthe invention may also be obtained from fructosyl peptide oxidasederived from various sources acquired from nature.

The fructosyl peptide oxidase genes (hereinafter, referred to as “thegenes of the invention”) coding for the fructosyl peptide oxidases ofthe invention may comprise genes coding for the oxidases of theinvention (a) to (f) above, and genes coding for the oxidases of theinvention comprising the following DNA (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) or (l):

(g) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2;

(h) DNA which hybridizes with DNA comprising a nucleotide sequencecomplementary to a full-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of theDNA comprising the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 understringent conditions, and which codes for a protein having a fructosylpeptide oxidase activity;

(i) DNA which indicates 80% or higher homology with a full-length or 15or more consecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 2, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity;

(j) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4;

(k) DNA which hybridizes with DNA comprising a nucleotide sequencecomplementary to a full-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of theDNA comprising the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4 understringent conditions, and which codes for a protein having a fructosylpeptide oxidase activity; and

(l) DNA which indicates 80% or higher homology with a full-length or 15or more consecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and which codes for a protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

Herein, “stringent conditions” refer to conditions under which a signalfrom a specific hybrid is clearly distinguished from a signal from anon-specific hybrid upon colony hybridization, plaque hybridization,Southern blot hybridization or the like (Current Protocols in MolecularBiology (WILEY, Interscience, 1989)). These conditions differ dependingon the hybridization system used as well as the type, sequence andlength of the probe. These conditions can be determined by changing thehybridization temperature, washing temperature and salt concentration.For example, when a signal from a non-specific hybrid is positivelydetected, the hybridization and washing temperatures can be raised whilethe salt concentration is decreased, thereby enhancing specificity. Whena signal from a specific hybrid is not detected, the hybridization andwashing temperatures can be decreased while the salt concentration isincreased, thereby stabilizing the hybrid. More specifically, DNA thatis subjected to hybridization under stringent conditions may have acertain homology with a nucleotide sequence of probe DNA. Homology asused in “DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence indicating 80% or higherhomology with a full-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of anucleotide sequence” refers to a homology of, for example, 80% orhigher, preferably 90% or higher, and most preferably 95% or higher.

Genes coding for the above-mentioned oxidases of the invention may be,for example, a gene coding for an oxidase obtained by cloning andexpressing a native fructosyl peptide oxidase gene derived fromchromosomal DNA or cDNA of Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798) in asuitable vector host system, or a gene coding for an oxidase obtained bycloning and expressing a native fructosyl peptide oxidase gene derivedfrom chromosomal DNA or cDNA of Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 in asuitable vector host system.

The above-mentioned DNA may be, for example, a native fructosyl peptideoxidase gene derived from chromosomal DNA or cDNA of Coniochaeta sp.NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798), or a native fructosyl peptide oxidase genederived from chromosomal DNA or cDNA of Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC18547. The genes coding for the oxidases of the invention or the DNAthereof may also be obtained from fructosyl peptide oxidases derivedfrom various sources acquired from nature.

In addition, the oxidases of the invention, genes coding for theoxidases of the invention or DNA thereof may also be obtained fromvarious mutant fructosyl peptide oxidases obtained from native fructosylpeptide oxidases.

Hereinafter, a method for obtaining the genes of the invention will bedescribed.

In order to obtain the genes of the invention, a generally employed genecloning method is used. For example, chromosomal DNA or mRNA isextracted from cells capable of producing the above-described oxidasesof the invention according to a routine method (e.g., a method describedin Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (WILEY, Interscience, 1989)).Moreover, cDNA can be synthesized using mRNA as a template. Thus,chromosomal DNA or a cDNA library can be obtained. Next, suitable probeDNA is synthesized based on the amino acid sequence of the oxidase ofthe invention, which is used to screen for DNA from the chromosomal DNAor cDNA library. Alternatively, DNA containing a gene fragment ofinterest is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR method) such asthe 5′-RACE or 3′-RACE method by producing suitable primer DNA based onthe above-mentioned amino acid sequence. Then, the obtained DNAfragments are linked to obtain DNA containing a full-length gene of theinvention. Furthermore, the genes of the invention coding for theoxidases of the invention can be obtained from various organisms throughhybridization with the above-mentioned probe DNA.

For example, the genes of the invention from Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330(FERM BP-7798) or Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 can be obtained asfollows.

First, the above-described microorganism is cultured. The obtained cellsare frozen in liquid nitrogen, followed by physical disruption using,for example, a mortar. From the obtained fine powdery cell debris,chromosomal DNA is extracted according to a general method using acommercially available DNA extraction kit or the like. Then, a total RNAfraction is extracted from the cell debris according to a general methodby using a commercially available RNA extraction kit or the like. Then,RNA is collected from this extract through ethanol precipitation. Ifnecessary, a commercially available Oligo dT column is used tofractionate RNA having a poly-A chain according to a general method.

Next, the oxidase of the invention produced from the above-mentionedmicroorganism is purified, isolated and sequenced to determine theN-terminal amino acid sequence thereof. The obtained peptide fragment isdigested with trypsin or lysyl-end peptidase to give a peptide fragment,and the amino acid sequence thereof (i.e., the internal amino acidsequence) is determined. Then, considering the information of theobtained partial amino acid sequence and the codon usage frequency ofthe above-mentioned microorganism, primers are synthesized for PCR.These primers as well as the obtained chromosomal DNA or RNA as atemplate are used to perform PCR or RT-PCR, thereby obtaining a DNAfragment coding for a part of the oxidase of the invention. Furthermore,primers are appropriately synthesized based on the nucleotide sequenceof the obtained DNA fragment.

Next, using the above-mentioned primers and RNA, cDNA containing thefragment of the present gene is amplified by a suitable RT-PCR methodsuch as the 5′-RACE or 3′-RACE method. The amplified products are linkedto obtain cDNA containing a full-length gene of the invention. RT-PCRusing the RNA as a template and synthesized primers complementary to the5′- and 3′-terminal sequences can amplify cDNA containing the presentgene.

The amplified DNA can be cloned following a general method. Theamplified DNA is inserted into a suitable vector to obtain recombinantDNA. For cloning, a commercially available kit such as TA Cloning Kit(available from Invitrogen), plasmid vector DNA such as pUC119(available from Takara Bio Inc.), pBR322 (available from Takara BioInc.), pMAL-C2 (available from New England Labs), pBluescript II SK⁺(available from Stratagene) and pKK223-3 (available from AmershamBioscience K.K.), bacteriophage vector DNA such as λENBL3 (availablefrom Stratagene) and λDASH II (available from Funakoshi Co., Ltd.), andthe like can be used.

The thus-obtained recombinant DNA is used to transform or transduce, forexample, E. coli K12, preferably E. coli JM109 (available from ToyoboCo., Ltd.), DH5α (available from Toyobo Co., Ltd.), XL1-Blue (availablefrom Funakoshi Co., Ltd.) and the like, thereby obtaining a transformantor a transductant containing the recombinant DNA. Transformation can beperformed, for example, according to the method by D. M. Morrison(Methods in Enzymology, 68, 326-331, 1979). Transduction can beperformed, for example, according to the method by B. Hohn (Methods inEnzymology, 68, 299-309, 1979). As a host cell, microorganisms otherthan E. coli, for example, other bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi oractinomycetes, or animal cells may be used.

The total nucleotide sequence of the above-described amplified DNA maybe analyzed by using, for example, LI-COR MODEL 4200L sequencer (LI-COR,Inc.) or 370A DNA sequence system (Perkin Elmer). The nucleotidesequence is compared with information of the partial amino acidsequences so as to confirm whether or not the present gene is obtained.By analyzing the obtained gene of the invention, the translatedpolypeptide, namely, the amino acid sequence of the oxidase of theinvention, is determined.

Examples of the genes of the invention include genes containing DNAcomprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4.Plasmid pKK223-3-CFP containing DNA comprising a nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 2 was deposited at the International PatentOrganism Depositary, the National Institute of Advanced IndustrialScience and Technology, an Independent Administrative Institution underthe Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, AIST Tsukuba Central 6,Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan as FERM BP-8132, while plasmidpuc-EFP containing DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented bySEQ ID NO: 4 was deposited at the AIST as FERM BP-8131.

The above-mentioned genes of the invention may be modified to givevarious modified oxidases of the invention.

In order to modify the above-mentioned genes, any known method may beused, for example, a method in which the above-mentioned recombinant DNAis brought into contact with a chemical mutation agent such ashydroxylamine or nitrous acid, a point mutation method for randommodification using a PCR method, a well-known site-directed mutagenesisfor site-specific substitution or deletion using a commerciallyavailable kit, a method in which the recombinant DNA is selectivelycleaved, a selected oligonucleotide is then removed from or addedthereto, followed by linking (i.e., an oligonucleotide mutagenesismethod). Then, the treated recombinant DNA is purified using desaltingcolumn, QIAGEN (available from Qiagen) or the like to obtain variousrecombinant DNAs.

Through these modifications, for example, the following genes can beobtained: the genes of the invention containing DNA which hybridizesunder stringent conditions with DNA comprising a nucleotide sequencecomplementary to a full-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of theDNA comprising the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4and which codes for a protein having a fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity; or the genes of the invention containing DNA which indicates80% or higher homology with a full-length or 15 or more consecutivebases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQID NO: 2 or 4, and which codes for a protein having a fructosyl peptideoxidase activity.

Furthermore, by modifying the genes of the invention, for example, thefollowing oxidases of the invention can be obtained: a proteincomprising an amino acid sequence having deletion, substitution and/oraddition of one to several amino acids relative to the amino acidsequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, and having a fructosylpeptide oxidase activity; or a protein having 80% or higher homologywith the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, andhaving a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

Next, the transformant or transductant including the above-describedrecombinant DNA is cultured in a medium, and fructosyl peptide oxidaseis collected from the culture. In general, the transformant ortransductant is cultured by using a medium suitable for growing a hostused. For example, when E. coli is used as a host, the transformant isseeded in 10 L LB medium, and cultured using a jar fermenter at 30° C.for 24 hours with an air flow of 1 L/min and an agitation rate of 600rpm. The obtained 10 L culture is centrifuged at 7,000 rpm for 10minutes, thereby collecting and obtaining cells. From the obtainedcells, the enzyme of the invention can be obtained according to theabove-described methods.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail withreference to the Experimental Example and Examples described below,although the technical scope of the present invention is not limited tothese Examples.

Experimental Example 1 Search for Microorganism Capable of Producing theInventive Oxidase

Soil-derived microorganisms and deposited microorganisms provided bymicroorganism collection organizations were used for the search.Soil-derived microorganisms were isolated from about 100 soil samplesobtained at different places in and around Noda-City (Chiba) andTsukuba-City (Ibaraki). Particularly, one small spatula of each soilsample was grown by shake-culture on a enrichment medium (0.5% yeastextract, 0.2% potassium dihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate,0.1% fructosyl valyl histidine, pH 6.5) at 30° C. for one day, andmicroorganisms were isolated on a plate medium (enrichment medium+1.2%agar). About 5,000 strains were isolated, most of which were bacteriaand yeast. Deposited strains used included 380 strains of yeast, 480strains of filamentous fungi and 700 strains of actinomycetes.

Soil-derived bacteria and yeast were inoculated on 3 ml of theabove-described enrichment medium, filamentous fungi were inoculated on3 ml of enzyme inducible medium 1 (0.1% yeast extract, 0.1% maltextract, 0.1% potassium dihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate,0.1% fructosyl valyl histidine, pH 7.3) and actinomycetes wereinoculated on 3 ml of enzyme-induction media 2 (0.2% dry yeast, 1.25%soybean powder, 2% fructosyl valyl histidine). Soil-derivedmicroorganisms were grown by shake-culture for 24 hours while yeast,filamentous fungi and actinomycetes were grown by shake-culture for 3-5days at 30° C. Each culture solution was centrifuged at 3,000 rpm for 10minutes to obtain cells. Next, cells were suspended in a lysis buffer(100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 8), 1 mM EDTA, 1 mg/ml lysozyme, 0.5 mMPMSF), disrupted by, for example, ultrasonication (1-3 minutes) or usinga Physcotron (50 power, 30 seconds, twice, available from MicrotecNition Co., Ltd.), added with Triton X-100 to a final concentration of0.5%, and centrifuged at 15,000 rpm, 4° C. for 10 minutes to collectsupernatant as crude enzyme solution. Each of the crude enzyme solutionsobtained was examined for the presence or absence of fructosyl peptideoxidase activity by the above-described activity assay to select 19strains with the same activity, all of which were filamentous fungi.Particularly, these filamentous fungi included Achaetomiella (1 strain),Achaetomium (8 strains), Thielavia (1 strain), Chaetomium (2 strains),Gelasinospora (1 strain), Microascus (1 strain), Coniochaeta (1 strain),and Eupenicillium (4 strains).

Example 1 Preparing the Inventive Oxidase Produced by the FilamentousFungus Belonging to the Genus Achaetomiella

Achaetomiella virescens ATCC 32393 was inoculated on 0.05 L of a medium(0.4% yeast extract, 1% malt extract, 2% glucose, 0.1% tryptone, 0.1%potassium dihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate, pH 7) containedin a 0.15 L Erlenmeyer flask, and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120rpm, 30° C. for 3 days. Next, the culture solution (seed) was dispensed(10 mL/flask) into 5 L Erlenmeyer flasks (each containing 1 L of theabove-described medium) and grown by rotary shaking culture at 90 rpm,30° C. for 4 days. Cells were collected from the culture solution usinga Buchner funnel with a filter. The cells obtained were frozen forstorage at −80° C.

Frozen cells (collected from 6 L of culture solution) were suspended in1 L of buffer A (0.4M sodium chloride, 20 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mMEDTA, 5% glycerol, 0.5 mM PMSF, pH 8), and disrupted by a French press.Solution containing disrupted cells was centrifuged at 9,000 rpm for 15minutes, and supernatant was loaded on a DEAE Sepharose FF (availablefrom Amersham Biotech) column (5 cm×18 cm) pre-equilibrated with bufferA. Additionally, 500 ml of buffer A was added, and the whole elutionsolution was collected. The elution solution was added slowly withammonium sulfate to 40% saturation to precipitate an excess amount ofprotein. The solution was left to stand at 4° C. overnight, and thencentrifuged at 9,000 rpm, 4° C. for 15 minutes. Next, ammonium sulfatewas added slowly to supernatant to 65% saturation to precipitate theprotein of interest. The supernatant solution was left to stand at 4° C.overnight, and centrifuged at 9,000 rpm, 4° C. for 15 minutes to collectprecipitant.

The precipitant was dissolved in 30 ml of buffer B (10 mM Tris-HCl, 0.2mM EDTA, 1% glycerol, pH 8.6), desalted with PD-10 (available fromAmersham Biotech), and then applied to a Q Sepharose FF (available fromAmersham Biotech) column (2.5 cm×15 cm) pre-equilibrated with buffer B.The gel was washed with 150 ml of buffer B and eluted with a lineargradient from buffer B to buffer C (150 mM sodium chloride, 50 mMTris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, pH 8.6). Active fraction was eluted atabout 0.08M sodium chloride.

The eluted active fraction was concentrated in CentriPrep 10 (availablefrom Amicon), dialyzed, and loaded on TSK gel super Q (available fromTosoh Co., Ltd.). Elution was performed using a linear gradient frombuffer B to buffer C. Activity was monitored at 280 nm using a flow rateof 1 ml/min. Active fraction was eluted at about 0.08M sodium chloride.

The active fraction obtained was concentrated in Microcon 10 (availablefrom Amicon), and loaded on a POROS PE (available from PerceptiveBiosystems). Elution was performed using a linear gradient from buffer D(2M ammonium sulfate, 20 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, pH7) to buffer E (20 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, pH 8).Activity was monitored at 280 nm using a flow rate of 2 ml/min. Activefraction was eluted at about 1M ammonium sulfate. The active fractionobtained was analyzed by SDS-PAGE to obtain a single band (molecularweight=about 52,000). The active fraction obtained was used to determinethe following physiochemical properties.

Example 2 Physiochemical Properties of the Inventive Oxidase Produced byFilamentous Fungus Belonging to the Genus Achaetomiella

The physiochemical properties of the inventive oxidase obtained inExample 1 will be described below.

(a) Activity and Substrate Specificity

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed by the above-describedenzyme activity assay using, as substrate, fructosyl valyl histidine,fructosyl glycine or ε-fructosyl lysine. The inventive oxidase had 42%relative activity for fructosyl valyl histidine and 18% for fructosylglycine when compared to 100% activity for ε-fructosyl lysine.

(b) Optimum pH

Enzyme reaction was monitored in 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0),200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mMpotassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer (pH8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. The results are shown inFIG. 1. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity (100%) atpH 8.0 and relative activities of 70% or higher at pH 7.0-8.0. Fromthese results, the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase was determinedto be pH 7.0-8.0, and most preferably pH 8.0.

(c) Km Value for Fructosyl Valyl Histidine

In the above-described activity assay, the activity of the oxidase wasmonitored using different concentrations of fructosyl valyl histidine(substrate), and Michaelis constant (Km) was determined from aLineweaver-Burk plot. The Km value for fructosyl valyl histidine wasfound to be 2.3 mM.

(d) Optimum Temperature Range

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed at differenttemperatures using reactions which consisted of the same compositions asthose used in the above-described activity assay. The results are shownin FIG. 3. The enzyme exhibited its maximum activity (100%) at around40° C. and relative activities of 50% or higher at from 30 to 45° C.

From these results, the optimum temperature range of the inventiveoxidase was determined to be 30-45° C.

(e) Thermostability

The thermostability of the inventive oxidase following a treatment with200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) at different temperatures for10 minutes is shown in FIG. 4 which illustrates that the inventiveoxidase remained stable up to about 50° C.

(f) Stable pH Range

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0),200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer(pH 8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. for 10 minutes, andits remaining activity was determined. The results are shown in FIG. 2.The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity (100%) at around pH7.0 and remaining activities of 70% or higher at pH 6.0-9.0.

From these results, the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase wasdetermined to be pH 6.0-9.0.

(g) Molecular Weight

Molecular weight was determined by SDS-PAGE on Multigel 10/20 (availablefrom DAIICHI PURE CHEMICALS CO., LTD.). The molecular weight of theinventive oxidase was determined to be about 52,000.

(h) Identifying Reaction Product

Reaction solution was assayed by HPLC to identify reaction products.First, 50 μl of reaction solution (2 mM fructosyl valyl histidine, 5 mMphosphate buffer (pH 8.0), 0.003 U of the inventive oxidase) wasincubated at 37° C. for 2 hours, diluted (10×) and then assayed for thereaction products in a TSK gel Amide-80 column (available from TosohCo., Ltd.). As a control, the same procedure was repeated except forusing a buffer instead of the enzyme. As a result, a peak was detectedonly for fructosyl valyl histidine in the control case, while in theenzyme case a peak was detected only for valyl histidine and no peak wasdetected for fructosyl valyl histidine. From these results, it wasconfirmed that the inventive oxidase catalyzes the decomposition offructosyl valyl histidine to produce valyl histidine. Further, it wassuggested that this reaction cleaved an α-ketoamine bond, as in theglycated amino acid oxidase reaction.

Example 3 Comparison of Thermostability

The thermostability of the inventive oxidase produced by the filamentousfungus belonging to the genus Achaetomiella was compared to that of theoxidase disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No.2001-95598. E. coli strain DH5α (pFP1) (FERM BP-7297) which produces theoxidase disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kohyo) No.2001-95598 was inoculated on 10 ml of LB-amp medium (1% bactotryptone,0.5% bactoyeast extract, 0.5% sodium chloride, 50 μg/mL ampicillin, pH7), and grown by reciprocal shaking culture at 120 rpm, 30° C. for 20hours. The resultant culture solution was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for10 minutes to collect cells which were then suspended in 10 ml of lysisbuffer (50 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, 0.5 mM PMSF, pH8), and then disrupted by ultrasonication. The suspension containingdisrupted cells was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes andsupernatant obtained was used as crude enzyme solution. The crude enzymesolution was treated with 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) at45° C. for 10 minutes, and then assayed for its activity using fructosylvalyl histidine as the substrate. No activity was detected. Theseresults show that the oxidase disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open (kohyo) No. 2001-95598 exhibited a low thermostability, whichis disadvantageous in that it may not be stable during storage when itis formulated into a reagent (an enzyme) contained in a kit for clinicaldiagnosis. On the other hand, the inventive oxidase exhibited, asdescribed above, an extremely high thermostability with 80% or higheractivity following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes.

Example 4 The Inventive Oxidases Produced by Filamentous Fungi

Among the filamentous fungi obtained in the search described inExperimental Example 1 above, the above-listed filamentous fungi,Achaetomiella (1 strain), Achaetomium (8 strains), Thielavia (1 strain),Chaetomium (2 strains), Gelasinospora (1 strain), Microascus (1 strain),Coniochaeta (1 strain) and Eupenicillium (1 strain) were used to producethe inventive oxidases. Next, the physiochemical properties of theseoxidases were determined. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Eachof these 16 strains was cultured on 3 ml of the above-described enzymeinducible medium 1 at 30° C. for 4 days and cells were then collected.The cells collected were suspended in 0.9 ml of lysis buffer, disruptedby using a Physcotron and by ultrasonication, added with Triton X-100 toa final concentration of 0.5%, and then centrifuged at 15,000 rpm, 4° C.for 10 minutes to collect supernatant which was then used as crudeenzyme sample. Each of the crude enzyme samples obtained was examinedfor its activity for fructosyl valyl histidine (FVH), fructosyl glycine(FG) or ε-fructosyl lysine (εFL). For comparison, activities of eachenzyme are shown as % relative activities when compared to its activityfor ε-fructosyl lysine (100%). Each crude enzyme sample was heat-treatedat 45° C. for 10 minutes, and then its activity for fructosyl valylhistidine was determined and compared to the activity before treatment.As shown in Tables 1 and 2, all of these sample strains showedactivities on fructosyl valyl histidine though with different levels ofactivity per medium. Although these samples obtained from differentstrains exhibited slightly different substrate specificities, theinventive oxidases produced by Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 andConiochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798) exhibited particularlypreferable properties in that they acted well on fructosyl valylhistidine but less on ε-fructosyl lysine. It was found that theinventive oxidases produced by Achaetomiella virescens ATCC 32393 andChaetomium sp. NISL 9335 (FERM BP-7799) exhibit a relatively strongaction on fructosyl valyl histidine. It was also shown that under theabove-described heat-treatment conditions, the inventive oxidase samplesproduced by 12 out of 16 strains exhibited remaining activities of 100%or higher while those produced by the remaining 4 strains exhibited80-100% remaining activities, which indicated that all of the oxidasesamples produced by those 16 strains had extremely high stability.

TABLE 1 Activity per Substrate specificity Thermo- medium (% relativeactivity) stability Strain (U/L) FVH FG εFL (%) Thielavia novoquineensis0.9 17 10 100 100 NISL 9334 Chaetomium quatrangulatum 1.0 8 15 100 107NISL 9329 Achaetomium luteum 1.6 39 22 100 100 ATCC 18524 Achaetomiumstrumarium 1.1 26 21 100 100 NISL 9324 Achaetomium globosum 4.1 18 10100 104 NISL 9321 Achaetomium luteum 7.2 38 18 100 108 NISL 9323Gelasinospora 1.2 17 14 100 102 pseudoreticulata NISL 9332

TABLE 2 Activity per Substrate specificity Thermo- medium (% relativeactivity) stability Stain (U/L) FVH FG εFL (%) Achaetomiella virescens11.6 71 25 100 88 ATCC 32393 Achaetomium strumarium 20.9 42 24 100 107NISL 9325 Achaetomium strumarium 6.0 15 6 100 102 NISL 9326 Achaetomiumsp. 3.2 26 21 100 104 NISL 9327 Chaetomium sp. 13.2 69 88 100 100 NISL9335 Eupenicillium terrenum 2.8 1023 1862 100 100 ATCC 18547 Microascussp. 19.1 27 37 100 94 NISL 9333 Achaetomium sp. 19.4 38 21 100 80 NISL9328 Coniochaeta sp. 70.1 165 65 100 80 NISL 9330

Example 5 Preparing the Inventive Oxidases Produced by Linear FungiBelonging to the Genera Chaetomium and Coniochaeta

Chaetomium sp. NISL 9335 (FERM BP-7799) and Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330(FERM BP-7798) cells were cultured, and the inventive oxidases werepurified therefrom. Both oxidases were obtained using the samepurification procedure.

Each of the oxidases obtained was inoculated on 3 ml of a medium (0.4%yeast extract, 1% malt extract, 2% glucose, 0.1% tryptone, 0.1%potassium dihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate, pH 7) containedin a glass tube (1.6 cm (diameter)×12.5 cm), and grown by reciprocalshaking culture at 120 rpm, 30° C. for 1 day. Then, 3 ml of the culture(seed) was dispensed (3 ml/flask) into 1 L Erlenmeyer flasks eachcontaining 0.4 L of the above-described medium, and grown by rotaryshaking culture at 130 rpm, 30° C. for 4 days. Cells were collected fromthe culture solution by filtration using a Buchner funnel with a filteror by centrifugation at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes. The cells obtainedwere frozen for storage at −80° C.

Frozen cells (collected from 0.4 L of culture solution) were suspendedin 0.025 L of buffer A, and disrupted by a French press. The suspensioncontaining disrupted cells was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes,and ammonium sulfate was added slowly to the supernatant to 65%saturation to precipitate the protein of interest. The supernatantsolution was left to stand at 4° C. overnight, and centrifuged at 12,000rpm for 10 minutes to collect precipitant.

The precipitant was then dissolved in 5 ml of buffer D and centrifugedat 15,000 rpm for 10 minutes to give a supernatant which was thensubjected to POROS PE. Elution was performed using a linear gradientfrom buffer D to buffer E. Activity was monitored at 280 nm using a flowrate of 2 ml/min. Active fractions were eluted at about 0.25 M ammoniumsulfate for both of the enzymes. Both of the active fractions obtainedwere concentrated and demineralized in Microcon 10 (available fromAmicon) and used to determine their physiochemical properties asdescribed below.

Example 6 The Physiochemical Properties of the Inventive OxidaseProduced by Chaetomium sp

The physiochemical properties of the inventive oxidase produced byChaetomium sp. NISL 9335 (FERM BP-7799) obtained in Example 5 will bedescribed below.

(a) Activity and Substrate Specificity

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed by the above-describedenzyme activity assay using, as substrate, fructosyl valyl histidine,fructosyl glycine or ε-fructosyl lysine. The inventive oxidase exhibited40% relative activity for fructosyl valyl histidine and 28% forfructosyl glycine when compared to 100% activity for ε-fructosyl lysine.

(b) Optimum pH

Enzyme reaction was monitored in 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0),200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mMpotassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer (pH8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. The results are shown inFIG. 5. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity at pH 8.0.It still exhibited relative activities of 70% or higher at pH 6.0-8.0when compared to the maximum activity (100%) at around pH 8.0. Fromthese results, the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase was determinedto be pH 6.0-8.0, and most preferably pH 8.0.

(c) Optimum Temperature Range

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed at differenttemperatures using reaction solutions which consisted of the samecompositions as those used in the above-described activity assay. Theresults are shown in FIG. 7. The enzyme exhibited its maximum activity(100%) at around 37° C. and relative activities of 60% or higher at from20 to 45° C.

From these results, the optimum temperature range of the inventiveoxidase was determined to be from 20 to 45° C.

(d) Thermostability

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer(pH 8.0) at different temperatures for 10 minutes and thethermostability thereof was determined. The results are shown in FIG. 8which illustrates that the inventive oxidase remained stable up to about55° C.

(e) Stable pH Range

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0),200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer(pH 8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. for 10 minutes, andthe remaining activity thereof was determined. The results are shown inFIG. 6. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity at aroundpH 7.0 and remaining activities of 70% or higher at pH 5.0-9.0.

From these results, the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase wasdetermined to be pH 5.0-9.0.

Example 7 The Physiochemical Properties of the Inventive OxidaseProduced by Coniochaeta sp. which has Less Action on ε-Fructosyl Lysine

The physiochemical properties of the inventive oxidase produced byConiochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798) obtained in Example 5 will bedescribed below.

(a) Activity and Substrate Specificity

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed by the above-describedenzyme activity assay using, as substrate, fructosyl valyl histidine,fructosyl glycine or ε-fructosyl lysine. The inventive oxidase exhibited61% relative activity for ε-fructosyl lysine and 39% for fructosylglycine when compared to 100% activity for fructosyl valyl histidine,which shows that the enzyme had less action on ε-fructosyl lysine.

(b) Optimum pH

Enzyme reaction was monitored in 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 3.0-6.0),200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0), 200 mMpotassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer (pH8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. The results are shown inFIG. 9. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity at pH 7.0.It still exhibited relative activities of 70% or higher at pH 6.0-8.0when compared to the maximum activity (100%) obtained at around pH 7.0.From these results, the optimum pH for the inventive oxidase wasdetermined to be pH 6.0-8.0, and most preferably pH 7.0.

(c) Optimum Temperature Range

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed at differenttemperatures using reaction solutions which consisted of the samecompositions as those used in the above-described activity assay. Theresults are shown in FIG. 11. The enzyme exhibited its maximum activity(100%) at around 40° C. and relative activities of 60% or higher at20-40° C.

From these results, the optimum temperature range of the inventiveoxidase was determined to be from 20 to 40° C.

(d) Thermostability

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer(pH 8.0) at different temperatures for 10 minutes and thethermostability thereof was determined. The results are shown in FIG. 12which illustrates that the inventive oxidase remained stable up to about50° C.

(e) Stable pH Range

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 6.8-9.0),200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.5-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer(pH 8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. for 10 minutes, andthe remaining activity thereof was determined. The results are shown inFIG. 10. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum remaining activityat around pH 7.0 and remaining activities of 70% or higher at pH5.0-9.0.

From these results, the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase wasdetermined to be pH 5.0-9.0.

Example 8 Preparing the Inventive Oxidase Produced by Eupenicilliumterrenum which has Less Action on ε-Fructosyl Lysine

Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 cells were inoculated on 0.05 L of amedium (0.1% yeast extract, 0.1% malt extract, 0.1% potassiumdihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate, pH 7.3) contained in a0.15 L Erlenmeyer flask, and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120 rpm,25° C. for 3 days. Next, the culture (seed) was dispensed (10 mL/flask)into 5 L Erlenmeyer flasks (each containing 1 L of the above-describedmedium) and grown by rotary shaking culture at 100 rpm, 25° C. for 4days. Cells were collected from the culture solution by filtration usinga Buchner funnel with a filter. The cells obtained were then frozen forstorage at −80° C.

Frozen cells (collected from 6 L of culture solution) were suspended in500 mL of buffer F (10 mM phosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, 0.5mM PMSF, pH 8), and disrupted by a French press. The suspensioncontaining disrupted cells was centrifuged at 9,000 rpm for 15 minutes,and buffer F was added to the supernatant to give a crude enzymesolution (500 mL). Ammonium sulfate was then added slowly to the crudeenzyme solution to 40% saturation to precipitate an excess amount ofprotein. The solution was then left to stand at 4° C. overnight and thencentrifuged at 9,000 rpm, 4° C. for 15 minutes to collect supernatant.Further, ammonium sulfate was added slowly to the supernatant to 60%saturation to precipitate protein. The supernatant solution was left tostand at 4° C. overnight, followed by centrifugation (9,000 rpm, 4° C.,15 minutes) to collect precipitant.

The precipitant was dissolved in 10 ml of buffer G (10 mM phosphatebuffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, 0.2M NaCl, pH 8) followed by bufferreplacement with PD-10 (available from Amersham Biotech), and thenapplied to an UltrogelAcA34 (available from IBF Biotechnics) column (2.8cm×85 cm) pre-equilibrated with buffer G. The column was eluted with 1 Lof buffer G to collect active fraction.

The active fraction obtained was concentrated in CentriPrep 10(available from Amicon) followed by buffer replacement with buffer F,and then applied to a Q Sepharose FF (available from Amersham Biotech)column (1.0 cm×8 cm).

Elution was performed using a linear gradient from buffer H (10 mMphosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, pH 8) to buffer I (10 mMphosphate buffer, 1 mM EDTA, 5% glycerol, 0.5 M NaCl, pH 8).

The active fraction obtained was again concentrated in CentriPrep 10(available from Amicon) and then applied to POROS PE (available fromPerceptive Biosystems). Elution was performed using a linear gradientfrom buffer D to buffer E. Protein amount was monitored at O.D. 280 nmusing a flow rate of 2 ml/min. Active fraction was eluted at about 0.01M ammonium sulfate. Obtained active fraction was analyzed by SDS-PAGE toconfirm a single band (molecular weight=about 53 kDa). The activefraction obtained was used to determine its physiochemical properties asdescribed below.

Example 9 The Physiochemical Properties of the Inventive OxidaseProduced by Eupenicillium terrenum which has Less Action on ε-FructosylLysine

The physiochemical properties of the inventive oxidase produced byEupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 which has less action on ε-fructosyllysine were as described below.

(a) Activity and Substrate Specificity

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed by the above-describedenzyme activity assay using, as substrate, fructosyl valyl histidine,fructosyl glycine or ε-fructosyl lysine. The inventive oxidase with lessaction on ε-fructosyl lysine exhibited 182% relative activity forfructosyl glycine and 9.78% for ε-fructosyl lysine when compared to 100%activity for fructosyl valyl histidine, indicating that the inventiveoxidase had high specificity for fructosyl valyl histidine and fructosylglycine.

(b) Optimum pH

Enzyme reaction was monitored in 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH 4.0-6.0),200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 7.0-8.5), 200 mMpotassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer (pH8.0-9.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. The results are shown inFIG. 13. The inventive oxidase with less action on ε-fructosyl lysineexhibited its maximum activity in potassium phosphate buffer at pH 7.0.It still exhibited relative activities of 70% or higher in the samebuffer at pH 6.0-8.0 when compared to the maximum activity (100%) ataround pH 7.0. From these results, the optimum pH for the inventiveoxidase with less action on ε-fructosyl lysine was determined to be pH6.0-8.0, and most preferably pH 7.0.

(c) Km Value for Fructosyl Valyl Histidine

In the above-described activity assay, activity was monitored usingdifferent concentrations of fructosyl valyl histidine (substrate), andMichaelis constant (Km) was determined from a Lineweaver-Burk plot. TheKm value of the enzyme for fructosyl valyl histidine was found to be4.25 mM.

(d) Optimum Temperature Range

The activity of the inventive oxidase was assayed at differenttemperatures using reaction solutions which consisted of the samecompositions as those used in the above-described activity assay. Theresults are shown in FIG. 15. The enzyme exhibited its maximum activity(100%) at around 35° C. and relative activities of 60% or higher at from25 to 40° C.

From these results, the optimum temperature range of the inventiveoxidase with less action on ε-fructosyl lysine was determined to be25-40° C.

(e) Thermostability

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer(pH 8.0) at different temperatures for 10 minutes and the remainingactivity thereof was monitored. The results are shown in FIG. 16 whichillustrates that the inventive oxidase with less action on ε-fructosyllysine exhibited high stability, with approximately 100% remainingactivity up to about 45° C.

(f) Stable pH Range

The inventive oxidase was treated with 200 mM acetic acid buffer (pH3.0-6.0), 200 mM MES-NaOH (pH 6.0-7.0), 200 mM Tris buffer (pH 7.0-8.5),200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0-8.0) or 200 mM glycine buffer(pH 8.0-12.0) at the indicated pH values at 30° C. for 10 minutes, andthe remaining activity thereof was monitored. The results are shown inFIG. 14. The inventive oxidase exhibited its maximum activity inpotassium phosphate buffer at pH 8.0 and remaining activities of 60% orhigher at pH 6.0-9.0.

From these results, the stable pH range for the inventive oxidase withless action on ε-fructosyl lysine was determined to be pH 6.0-9.0.

(g) Molecular Weight

Molecular weight was determined by SDS-PAGE using Multigel 10/20(available from DAIICHI PURE CHEMICALS CO., LTD.). The molecular weightof inventive oxidase with less action on ε-fructosyl lysine was about53,000.

(h) Identifying Reaction Product

Reaction solution was assayed by HPLC to identify reaction products.First, 50 μl of reaction solution (2 mM fructosyl valyl histidine, 5 mMphosphate buffer (pH 8.0), 0.003 U of the inventive oxidase) wasincubated at 37° C. for 2 hours, diluted (10×) and then assayed for thereaction products in a TSK gel Amide-80 column (available from TosohCo., Ltd.). Similarly, a control sample was obtained by using a bufferinstead of the enzyme and assayed. As a result, a peak was detected onlyfor fructosyl valyl histidine in the control sample, while in the enzymesample a peak was detected only for valyl histidine with no peakdetected for fructosyl valyl histidine. From these results, it wasconfirmed that the inventive oxidase catalyzes the decomposition offructosyl valyl histidine to produce valyl histidine. Further, it wassuggested that this reaction cleaved an α-ketoamine bond, as in theglycated amino acid oxidase reaction.

Example 10 The Inventive Oxidases Produced by Filamentous FungiBelonging to the Genus Eupenicillium which have Less Action onε-Fructosyl Lysine

Among the inventive filamentous fungi selected in Experimental Example1, in addition to Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547, three strains offilamentous fungi belonging to the genus Eupenicillium were obtainedwhich produce the inventive oxidases with less action on ε-fructosyllysine. These filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Eupenicillium(i.e., Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547, Eupenicillium senticosum IFO9158, Eupenicillium idahoense IFO 9510, and Eupenicillium euglaucum IFO31729) were used to prepare the inventive oxidases with less action onε-fructosyl lysine. The physiochemical properties of the oxidasesobtained were then assayed. The results are shown in Table 3.

Each of the above-described 4 strains was cultured on theabove-described enzyme induction media 1 (3 ml) at 30° C. for 4 days andthen cells were collected. The cells obtained were suspended in 0.9 mlof a lysis buffer, disrupted by using a Physcotron and byultrasonication, added with Triton X-100 to a final concentration of0.5%, and centrifuged at 15,000 rpm, 4° C. for 10 minutes to collectsupernatant (crude enzyme sample). Each of the crude enzyme samplesobtained was assayed for its activity for fructosyl valyl histidine(FVH), fructosyl glycine (FG) or ε-fructosyl lysine (εFL). Theactivities were indicated as % relative activities when compared to theactivity for fructosyl valyl histidine (100%). Moreover, each crudeenzyme sample was heat-treated at 45° C. for 10 minutes and its activityfor fructosyl valyl histidine was assayed. The results were compared tothe activity obtained before heat-treatment. As shown in Table 3, allthe strain samples tested acted on fructosyl valyl histidine andfructosyl glycine, although the level of activity per medium wasdifferent depending on the strains. Particularly, two out of the fourstains exhibited 2-fold or higher activities, one exhibited 3-fold orhigher activity, and the remaining one exhibited even 10-fold or higheractivity for fructosyl valyl histidine when compared to their activitiesfor ε-fructosyl lysine. Under the above-described heat-treatmentconditions, all of the inventive oxidase samples obtained from the 4strains exhibited remaining activities of 90% or higher, indicating thatthey are very stable.

TABLE 3 Activity per Substrate specificity Thermo- medium (% Relativeactivity) stability Strain (U/L) FVH FG εFL (%) Eupenicillium terrenum2.8 100 182 9.78 100 ATCC 18547 Eupenicillium senticosum 0.52 100 83.130.8 92.9 IFO 9158 Eupenicillium idahoense 0.25 100 86.1 41.0 90.0 IFO9510 Eupenicillium euglaucum 0.095 100 83.3 38.9 116 IFO 31729

Example 11 Reaction of the Inventive Oxidase with Products Obtained byTreatment of Glycated Peptide with Protease

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA_(1c)) may be treated with endoproteinase Glu-Cto liberate α-glycated hexapeptide (fructosyl Val-His-Leu-Thr-Pro-Glu)from the glycated hemoglobin β-chain (Clin. Chem., 43; 10 1944-1951,1997). Fructosyl Val-His-Leu-Thr-Pro-Glu (available from PEPTIDEINSTITUTE, INC), which is the same substance as the α-glycatedhexapeptide, was used in the following experiment.

(1) Preparation of Reagents

(A) 20 mM α-glycated hexapeptide

α-glycated hexapeptide (fructosyl Val-His-Leu-Thr-Pro-Glu, MW=856,available from PEPTIDE INSTITUTE, INC) (3.434 mg) was dissolved in 0.2ml of water.

(B) Protease

Molsin (15 mg, available from Kikkoman Corp.) was dissolved in 0.2 ml ofbuffer (10 mM acetate buffer, pH 3.0)

(C) 0.2 M acetate buffer, pH 3.0(D) Reaction substrate(a) Products obtained by digesting α-glycated hexapeptide with protease

A (100 μl), B (5 μl) and C (5 μl) were mixed in a microtube andincubated at 37° C. for 17 hours. The reaction solution was thenfiltered using Microcon 10 (available from Amicon) to remove protease.

(b) 20 mM fructosyl glycine (control)

Fructosyl glycine (4.5 mg) was dissolved in 1 ml of water.

(E) Developer solution

Developer solution consisted of the following materials:

5 μl of 10 mg/ml 4-aminoantipyrine;

7.5 μl of 2% 2,4-dichlorophenol sulfate;

1 μl of 3300 U/ml peroxidase;

100 μl of 1M phosphate buffer (pH 8); and

286.5 μl of water.

(F) The inventive oxidases

(a) Enzyme purified from Achaetomiella virescens ATCC 32393

(b) Enzyme purified from Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547

(c) Enzyme purified from Coniochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798)

(d) 20 mM phosphate buffer, pH 8.0

(2) Reaction Assay

Reaction substrate (D: a, b) (20 μl), developer solution (E) (20 μl) andthe inventive oxidase (F: a-d) (10 μl) were mixed in 96-well assayplates for reaction. Each plate was monitored at 510 nm using a platereader (Immuno Mini NJ-2300, available from Nalge Nunc International K.K.) for 70 minutes. The results are shown as % relative activity whencompared to 100% activity for fructosyl glycine (Table 4). N. D.indicates that color development was undetectable. It was confirmed thatall of the inventive oxidases were reactive with the protease-digestedproducts of α-glycated hexapeptide.

TABLE 4 Achaetomiella Eupenicillium Coniochaeta virescens terrenum sp.Phosphate ATCC 32393 ATCC 18547 NISL 9330 buffer α-glycated  9.2%  9.5%10.0% N.D. hexapeptide fructosyl 100% 100%  100% N.D. glycine

Example 12 Cloning and Expression of the Inventive Gene (Derived fromConiochaeta sp.) by Using Transformant

(1) Preparation of Coniochaeta sp. mRNA

Coniochaeta sp. was inoculated on 0.05 L of a medium (0.4% yeastextract, 1% malt extract, 2% glucose, 0.1% tryptone, 0.1% potassiumdihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate, pH 7) contained in a 0.15L Erlenmeyer flask, and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120 rpm, 30°C. for 1 day. Next, the culture (seed) was dispensed (1 ml/flask) into 1L Erlenmeyer flasks (each containing 0.5 L of the above-describedmedium) and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120 rpm, 30° C. for 2days. The culture solution was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutesto collect cells. The cells obtained were disrupted in a mortar with apestle in the presence of liquid nitrogen, suspended in 10 ml of RNAextraction reagent ISOGEN (available from Wako Pure Chemical Industries,Ltd.), and centrifuged at 2,700 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain RNAfraction, from which mRNA (0.51 mg) was obtained according to the methoddescribed in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (WILEY,Interscience, 1989).

(2) Synthesis of Primers

Fructosyl peptide oxidase (about 10 μg) purified according to the methoddescribed in Example 5 was digested with trypsin and subjected topreparative HPLC to obtain 7 peptides. The 7 peptides obtained were readon an ABI 470A protein sequencer (available from Perkin-Elmer Corp.) todetermine the internal amino acid sequences. The sequences determinedwere used to synthesize primers shown in SEQ ID NOS: 5 and 6 utilizingAmersham Biotech Custom Synthesis Service.

(3) RT-PCR

A first reaction solution was prepared using the following materials:

Mg Cl₂ 5 mM; *10x RNA PCR buffer 2 μl; H₂O 8.5 μl; dNTPs 1 mM each;RNase inhibitor 1 U/μl; *AMV reverse transcriptase XL 0.25 U/μl; *oligodT adapter primer 0.125 μM; and mRNA 1 μg. Note) *available from TakaraBio Inc.

The first reaction solution was left to stand at 42° C. for 30 minutesfor reverse transcription reaction, denatured at 99° C. for 5 minutesand then stored at 5° C.

Next, a second reaction solution was prepared using the followingmaterials:

Primer (SEQ ID NO: 5) 0.2 μM; Primer (SEQ ID NO: 6) 0.2 μM; *10x RNA PCRbuffer 8 μl; Magnesium chloride 2.5 mM; *Taq polymerase 2.5 U; and H₂O(to a final total volume of 80 μl). Note) *available from Takara BioInc.

Then, 80 μl of the second reaction solution was added to the tubecontaining reverse-transcription, and 30 cycles of PCR amplificationwere performed. The amplification cycle consisted of denaturing at 94°C. for 30 seconds, annealing at 62° C. for 30 seconds and extension at72° C. for 1.5 minutes.

After completion of PCR reaction, the reaction solution was subjected toelectrophoresis on agarose gel to confirm a band at approximately 0.77kb, which seemed to be the fragment of interest. The region of the gelcontaining the band was excised and DNA fragment was purified inGENECLEAN II (available from BIO 101 Inc.

(4) Analysis of Purified DNA Fragment

Purified DNA fragment was sequenced and analyzed using a 370A DNAsequencing system (available from Perkin-Elmer Corp.) to confirm thepresence of the above-described amino acid sequence(Leu-Ser-Lys-Met-Pro-Leu-Leu-Gln-Arg) in the putative amino acidsequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence determined. From theseresults, it was confirmed that the DNA fragment obtained by theabove-described RT-PCR amplification contained a portion of the geneticsequence encoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived from Coniochaetasp.

(5) Analysis of the Downstream Region by 3′-RACE

First, a primer (SEQ ID NO: 7) was designed using the DNA sequence dataobtained as described above and synthesized utilizing Amersham BiotechCustom Synthesis Service. This primer, the above-described mRNA and3′-Full RACE Core Set (available from Takara Bio Inc.) were used toperform RT-PCR to amplify the 3′-unknown region. The reaction solutionwas subjected to electrophoresis on agarose gel followed by purificationand extraction of an about 500 bp DNA fragment using Reco Chip(available from Takara Bio Inc.). The DNA fragment purified was thensequenced and analyzed in a DNA sequencer to confirm the presence of thesame sequence as the 3′ sequence of a portion of the genetic sequenceencoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived from Coniochaeta sp. inthe 5′-region of the nucleotide sequence determined. Further, thepresence of the above-described amino acid sequence(Phe-Gln-Asp-Lys-Glu-Leu-Phe-Asn-Arg) was confirmed in the putativeamino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence determined.

(6) Analysis of the Upstream Region by 5′-RACE

First, primers (SEQ ID NOS: 8-12) were designed using the DNA sequencedata obtained as described above and synthesized utilizing AmershamBiotech Custom Synthesis Service. These primers, the above-describedmRNA and 5′-Full RACE Core Set (available from Takara Bio Inc.) wereused to perform RT-PCR to amplify the 5′-unknown region. The reactionsolution was subjected to electrophoresis on agarose gel followed bypurification and extraction of an about 450 bp DNA fragment using RecoChip (available from Takara Bio Inc.). The DNA fragment purified wasthen sequenced and analyzed in a DNA sequencer to confirm the presenceof the same sequence as the 5′ sequence of a portion of the geneticsequence encoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived from Coniochaetasp. in the 3′-region of the nucleotide sequence determined. Further, thepresence of the above-described amino acid sequence(Ser-Gly-Tyr-Ala-Pro-Ala-Asn-Ile-Thr) was confirmed in the putativeamino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence determined.

(7) Obtaining Genetic Fragments by RT-PCR

Translation start and stop codons were deduced from the above-described3 nucleotide sequences, and primer DNAs (SEQ ID NOS: 13 and 14) for theN- and C-terminal regions were synthesized utilizing Amersham BiotechCustom Synthesis Service. These primers and the above-described mRNAwere used to perform RT-PCR. The reaction solution was subjected toelectrophoresis on agarose gel to confirm the presence of anapproximately 1.3 kb band. Then, DNA fragment contained in the band waspurified and extracted using Reco Chip (available from Takara Bio Inc.).Further, plasmid pKK223-3 (available from Amersham) was digested withrestriction enzyme EcoRI, blunt-ended using BluntingKit (available fromTakara Bio Inc.) and ligated with the DNA fragment purified andextracted as described above. The ligated DNA was then used to transformE. coli JM 109. The plasmid pKK223-3-CFP obtained as described above wasdeposited at the International Patent Organism Depositary, the NationalInstitute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, an IndependentAdministrative Institution under the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry, AIST Tsukuba Central 6, Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japanas FERM BP-8132.

(8) Confirmation of Activity

E. coli JM 109 (pKK223-3-CFP) cells were grown in 10 ml of TY-mediumcontaining 50 μg/ml ampicillin (1% bactotryptone, 0.5% bactoyeastextract, 0.5% NaCl, pH 7.0) by shake-culture at 32° C. to Klett 100,added with IPTG to a final concentration of 1 mM, and cultured for anadditional 3 hours. The culture solution was treated in anUltrasonicgenerator (available from Nissei) for 20 sec.×4 times whilecooling on ice. The culture solution was loaded in a micro tube, andcentrifuged in a microcentrifuge at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes to givesupernatant and precipitate fractions. The supernatant fraction obtainedwas transferred to another micro tube, and fructosyl peptide oxidaseactivity was determined according to the above-described enzyme activityassay to find that JM109 (pKK 223-3-CFP) had 4.74 U/ml fructosyl peptideoxidase activity.

(9) Analysis of Gene Encoding Fructosyl Peptide Oxidase

Since it was confirmed that E. coli JM109 (pKK223-3-CFP) had fructosylpeptide oxidase activity, it became clear that the insert fragmentincorporated in pKK223-3-CFP contained the gene encoding fructosylpeptide oxidase. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of the plasmid DNAwas determined using a 370A DNA sequencing system (available fromPerkin-Elmer Corp.). The nucleotide sequence of the plasmid DNAdetermined and the putative amino acid sequence of the polypeptide whichmay be translated therefrom are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 1,respectively. The gene encoding fructosyl peptide oxidase had a 1314 bpcoding region which encoded 437 amino acids.

Example 13 Cloning and Expression of the Inventive Gene (Derived fromEupenicillium terrenum) by Transformant

(1) Preparation of Eupenicillium terrenum mRNA

Eupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547 was inoculated on 0.05 L of a medium(0.1% yeast extract, 0.1% malt extract, 0.1% potassiumdihydrogenphosphate, 0.05% magnesium sulfate, pH 7.3) contained in a0.15 L Erlenmeyer flask, and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120 rpm,25° C. for 3 days. Next, the culture (seed) was dispensed (1 ml/flask)into 1 L Erlenmeyer flasks (each containing 0.5 L of the above-describedmedium) and grown by rotary shaking culture at 120 rpm, 25° C. for 4days. The culture solution was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutesto collect cells. The cells obtained were disrupted in a mortar with apestle in the presence of liquid nitrogen, suspended in 10 ml of RNAextraction reagent ISOGEN (available from Wako Pure Chemical Industries,Ltd.), and centrifuged at 2,700 rpm for 5 minutes to give RNA fraction,from which mRNA was obtained according to the method described inCurrent Protocols in Molecular Biology (WILEY, Interscience, 1989).

(2) Synthesis of Primers

Fructosyl peptide oxidase (about 10 μg) purified according to the methoddescribed in Example 8 was digested with trypsin and subjected topreparative HPLC to obtain 6 peptides. The 6 peptides obtained were readon an ABI 470A protein sequencer (available from Perkin-Elmer Corp.) todetermine the internal amino acid sequences(Thr-Asn-Val-Trp-Leu-Glu-Ser-Glu, Asp-Leu-Ala-Glu-Met-Pro-Gly,Asn-Phe-Ile-Leu-Ala, Leu-Pro-Asn-Ile-Gly, x-Pro-Thr-Asp-x-Tyr-Pro,Leu-His-Gln-Pro-Tyr-Gly-Ala-x-x-Pro). The sequences determined were usedto synthesize primers shown in SEQ ID NOS: 15 and 16 utilizing AmershamBiotech Custom Synthesis Service.

(3) RT-PCR

A first reaction solution was prepared using the following materials:

Mg Cl₂ 5 mM; *10x RNA PCR buffer 2 μl; H₂O 8.5 μl; dNTPs 1 mM each;RNase inhibitor 1 U/μl; *AMV reverse transcriptase XL 0.25 U/μl; *oligodT adapter primer 0.125 μM; and mRNA 1 μg. Note) *available from TakaraBio Inc.

The first reaction solution was left to stand at 42° C. for 30 minutesfor reverse transcription reaction, denatured at 99° C. for 5 minutesand then stored at 5° C.

Next, a second reaction solution was prepared using the followingmaterials:

Primer (SEQ ID NO: 15) 0.2 μM; Primer (SEQ ID NO: 16) 0.2 μM; *10x RNAPCR buffer 8 μl; Magnesium chloride 2.5 mM; *Taq polymerase 2.5 U; andH₂O (to a final total volume of 80 μl). Note) *available from Takara BioInc.

Then, 80 μl of the second reaction solution was added to the tubecontaining reverse-transcription, and 30 cycles of PCR amplificationwere performed. The amplification cycle consisted of denaturing at 94°C. for 30 seconds, annealing at 62° C. for 30 seconds and extension at72° C. for 1.5 minutes.

After completion of PCR reaction, the reaction solution was subjected toelectrophoresis on agarose gel to confirm a band at approximately 0.9kb, which seemed to be the fragment of interest. The region of the gelcontaining the band was excised and DNA fragment was purified inGENECLEAN II (available from BIO 101, Inc.)

(4) Analysis of Purified DNA Fragment

Purified DNA fragment was sequenced and analyzed on a 370A DNAsequencing system (available from Perkin-Elmer Corp.) to confirm thepresence of the above-described amino acid sequences(Asn-Phe-Ile-Leu-Ala, Leu-Pro-Asn-Ile-Gly, x-Pro-Thr-Asp-x-Tyr-Pro,Leu-His-Gln-Pro-Tyr-Gly-Ala-x-x-Pro) in the putative amino acid sequencededuced from the nucleotide sequence determined. From these results, itwas confirmed that the DNA fragment obtained by the above-describedRT-PCR amplification contained a portion of the genetic sequenceencoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived from Eupenicilliumterrenum.

(5) Analysis of the Downstream Region by 3′-RACE

First, a primer (SEQ ID NO: 17) was designed using the DNA sequence dataobtained as described above and synthesized utilizing Amersham BiotechCustom Synthesis Service. This primer, the above-described mRNA and3′-Full RACE Core Set (available from Takara Bio Inc.) were used toperform RT-PCR to amplify the 3′-unknown region. The reaction solutionwas subjected to electrophoresis on agarose gel followed by purificationand extraction of an about 400 bp DNA fragment using Reco Chip(available from Takara Bio Inc.). The DNA fragment purified was thensequenced and analyzed in a DNA sequencer to confirm the presence of thesame sequence as the 3′ sequence of a portion of the genetic sequenceencoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived from Eupenicilliumterrenum in the 5′-region of the nucleotide sequence determined.

(6) Analysis of the Upstream Region by 5′-RACE

First, primers (SEQ ID NOS: 18-22) were designed using the DNA sequencedata obtained as described above and synthesized utilizing AmershamBiotech Custom Synthesis Service. These primers, the above-describedmRNA and 5′-Full RACE Core Set (available from Takara Bio Inc.) wereused to perform RT-PCR to amplify the 5′-unknown region. The reactionsolution was subjected to electrophoresis on agarose gel followed bypurification and extraction of an about 600 bp DNA fragment using RecoChip (available from Takara Bio Inc.). The DNA fragment purified wasthen sequenced and analyzed in a DNA sequencer to confirm the presenceof the same sequence as the 5′ sequence of a portion of the geneticsequence encoding the fructosyl peptide oxidase derived fromEupenicillium terrenum in the 3′-region of the nucleotide sequencedetermined.

(7) Obtaining Genetic Fragments by RT-PCR

Translation start and stop codons were deduced from the above-described3 nucleotide sequences, and primer DNAs (SEQ ID NOS: 23 and 24) for theN- and C-terminal regions were synthesized utilizing Amersham BiotechCustom Synthesis Service. These primers and the above-described mRNAwere used to perform RT-PCR. The reaction solution was then subjected toelectrophoresis on agarose gel to confirm the presence of anapproximately 1.3 kb band. Then, DNA fragment contained in the band waspurified and extracted using Reco Chip (available from Takara Bio Inc.).Further, plasmid pUC19 (available from Takara Bio Inc) was digested withrestriction enzyme SmaI, and ligated with the DNA fragment purified andextracted as described above. The ligated DNA was then used to transformE. coli JM 109. The obtained plasmid puc-EFP was deposited at theInternational Patent Organism Depositary, the National Institute ofAdvanced Industrial Science and Technology, an IndependentAdministrative Institution under the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry, AIST Tsukuba Central 6, Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japanas FERM BP-8131.

(8) Confirmation of Activity

E. coli JM 109 (puc-EFP) cells were grown in 10 ml of TY-mediumcontaining 50 μg/ml ampicillin (1% bactotryptone, 0.5% bactoyeastextract, 0.5% NaCl, pH 7.0) by shake-culture at 30° C. to Klett 100,added with IPTG to a final concentration of 1 mM, and cultured for anadditional 3 hours. The culture solution was treated in anUltrasonicgenerator (available from Nissei) for 20 sec.×4 times whilecooling on ice. The culture solution was loaded in a microtube, andcentrifuged in a microcentrifuge at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes to obtainsupernatant and precipitate fractions. The supernatant fraction obtainedwas transferred to another microtube and determined for fructosylpeptide oxidase activity according to the above-described enzymeactivity assay to find that JM109 (puc-EFP) had a fructosyl peptideoxidase activity of 0.01 U/ml.

(9) Analysis of Gene Encoding Fructosyl Peptide Oxidase

Since it was confirmed that E. coli JM109 (puc-EFP) had fructosylpeptide oxidase activity, it became clear that the insert fragmentincorporated in puc-EFP contained the gene encoding fructosyl peptideoxidase. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of the plasmid DNA wasdetermined using a 370A DNA sequencing system (available fromPerkin-Elmer Corp.). The nucleotide sequence of the plasmid DNAdetermined and the putative amino acid sequence of the polypeptide whichmay be translated from the DNA are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 4 and 3,respectively. The gene encoding fructosyl peptide oxidase had a 1314 bpcoding region which coded for 437 amino acids.

According to the present invention, novel fructosyl peptide oxidaseswith a variety of physicochemical properties and a method for producingthem are provided. The inventive fructosyl peptide oxidases areadvantageous in that they can be used easily as diagnostic enzymes in anassay kit and that they can be mass-produced at low cost, and aretherefore useful in the industry. Further, the present invention alsoprovides oxidases which have less action on fructosyl lysine. Thoseoxidases have improved stability and are particularly useful as enzymesfor diagnosing diabetes. The present invention also provides a methodfor producing those oxidases. In this way, the present invention allowsfor the development of a kit for clinical diagnosis with improvedstorage stability. Those oxidases with less action on fructosyl lysineare more useful in the industry.

This application includes part or all of the contents as disclosed inthe specification and/or drawings of Japanese Patent Application Nos.2001-266665, 2001-378151 and 2002-228727, which are priority documentsof the present application. All publications, patents and patentapplications cited herein are incorporated in the present specificationby reference in their entirety.

1. A fructosyl peptide oxidase which acts on fructosyl valyl histidinein the presence of oxygen and catalyzes a reaction that producesα-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine and hydrogen peroxide.
 2. The fructosylpeptide oxidase of claim 1, wherein an activity of 80% or higher remainsafter a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes.
 3. The fructosylpeptide oxidase of claim 1 which has a molecular weight of about 52,000Da (SDS-PAGE).
 4. The fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim 1 which: (a)acts on fructosyl valyl histidine in the presence of oxygen andcatalyzes a reaction that produces a-ketoaldehyde, valyl histidine andhydrogen peroxide; (b) exhibits optimal activity within the range of pH6.0-8.0; (c) is active within the temperature range of 20-45° C.; (d)retains at least 80% of its activity following a heat treatment at 45°C. for 10 minutes; (e) is stable within the range of pH 6.0-9.0; and (f)has a molecular weight of about 52,000 Da (SDS-PAGE).
 5. A method forproducing a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising: culturing afilamentous fungus that produces the fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim1 in a medium; and recovering the fructosyl peptide oxidase.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the filamentous fungus is selected from agroup consisting of Achaetomiella, Achaetomium, Thielavia, Chaetomium,Gelasinospora, Microascus, Coniochaeta and Eupenicillium.
 7. The methodof claim 6, wherein the filamentous fungus is Achaetomiella virescensATCC 32393 or Chaetomium is Chaetomium sp. NISL 9335 (FERM BP-7799). 8.The fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim 1, which has less activity onε-fructosyl lysine than it does on fructosyl valyl histidine orfructosyl glycine.
 9. The fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim 8, whichretains an activity of 80% or higher after a heat treatment at 45° C.for 10 minutes.
 10. The fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim 8 which: (a)exhibits an optimal activity within the range of pH 6.0-8.0; (b) isactive within a temperature range of 20-40° C.; (c) retains an activityof 80% or higher following a heat treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes;and (d) is stable within a range of pH 6.0-9.0.
 11. A method forproducing a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising: culturing afilamentous fungus that produces the fructosyl peptide oxidase of claim8 in a medium; and recovering the fructosyl peptide oxidase.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the filamentous fungus belongs toEupenicillium or Coniochaeta.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein thefilamentous fungus is selected from the group consisting ofEupenicillium terrenum ATCC 18547, Eupenicillium senticosum IFO 9158,Eupenicillium idahoense IFO 9510, Eupenicillium euglaucum TO 31729, andConiochaeta sp. NISL 9330 (FERM BP-7798).
 14. A protein having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity selected from the group consistingof: (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQID NO: 1; (b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence havingdeletion, substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acidsrelative to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, andhaving a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and (c) a proteincomprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% homology with theamino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having a fructosylpeptide oxidase activity.
 15. A nucleic acid selected from the groupconsisting of: (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a protein comprising an amino acidsequence having deletion, substitution and/or addition of one to severalamino acids relative to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ IDNO: 1, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and (c) aprotein comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% homologywith the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having afructosyl peptide oxidase activity.
 16. A nucleic acid selected from thegroup consisting of: (a) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) DNA which hybridizes under stringentconditions with DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence complementary to afull-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of the DNA comprising thenucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2; and (c) DNA which hasat least 80% homology with a full-length or 15 or more consecutive basesof the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2.
 17. A DNA vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 15. 18. A hostcell transformed or transduced with the DNA vector of claim
 17. 19. Amethod for producing a fructosyl peptide oxidase, comprising: culturinghost cell of claim 18 in a medium; and recovering the fructosyl peptideoxidase.
 20. A protein having a fructosyl peptide oxidase activityselected from the group consisting of: (a) a protein comprising an aminoacid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3; (b) a protein comprising anamino acid sequence having deletion, substitution and/or addition of oneto several amino acids relative to the amino acid sequence representedby SEQ ID NO: 3, and having a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and(c) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3, andhaving a fructosyl peptide oxidase activity.
 21. A nucleic acid whichencodes: (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence represented bySEQ ID NO: 3; (b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence havingdeletion, substitution and/or addition of one to several amino acidsrelative to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3; or (c)a protein having at least 80% homology with the amino acid sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO:
 3. 22. A nucleic acid comprising: (a) DNAcomprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4; (b) DNAwhich hybridizes under stringent conditions with DNA comprising anucleotide sequence complementary to a full-length or 15 or moreconsecutive bases of the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequencerepresented by SEQ ID NO: 4or (c) DNA which has at least 80% homologywith a full-length or 15 or more consecutive bases of the DNA comprisingthe nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
 4. 23. A DNA vectorcomprising the nucleic acid of claim
 21. 24. A host cell that has beentransformed or transduced with the recombinant DNA vector of claim 23.25. A method for producing a fructosyl peptide oxidase comprising:culturing the host cell of claim 24 in a medium; and recovering afructosyl peptide oxidase encoded by said recombinant DNA vector.
 26. Anisolated or purified polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:(x) a polypeptide comprising the entire amino acid sequence of SEQ IDNO: 1; (y) a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, but having thedeletion, substitution and/or addition of one to twenty amino acidsrelative to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and (z) apolypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.